Guardsmen and Mages
by Mr-Herp-Derp
Summary: Two years after Dragonquest Eight ended. Jessica has divorced her husband and is now on her own. She meets up with the Hero (I named him Stone), and they will soon have to save the world again. Is it Rapthorne, or is it something different? Jessica/Stone.


**Thanks to Agarfinkel for telling me my mistakes. I won't say what they are, but this is going to be an AU story.**

**I know that the Hero in Dragonquest eight did not talk, but I am going to change that.**

Characters belong to Square Enix.

Chapter One

Reunion

Jessica Albert rode along on her horse. He was angelic white in color, with a golden mane, and ebony hooves. People who saw her ride by would often look at their own horses like yesterday's meatloaf. The horse was named Allister, after her late brother. He was the fastest horse she'd ever ridden, and the most gentle as well, as his gallops felt akin to riding on a cloud in a gentle breeze. He also had a playful side, sometimes nuzzling Jessica for carrots or brushing.

About two years had passed since Rapthorne had his defeat, and the party had all gone their separate ways. Jessica came home, and married her fiance as soon as she could. But after two years of marriage, stagnation seemed to be present. They didn't even talk to each other anymore unless something important was to be discussed. Finally, he talked to her one day,

"Jessica," he said, "I think this relationship has run its course,"

"Well," she said, "I didn't want to say anything." They came to a mutual agreement that this relationship was only slowing them down, and so they decided to divorce each other.

The judge agreed, but the man's considerable wealth was to be divided, half to Jessica, half for himself.

Jessica used her wealth to buy a horse, and go where the wind took her. One day, as she was going along with her horse, he seemed to be nervous. Before Jessica could ask him what the matter was, he whinnied loudly, bucking Jessica off of him and darting into the forest. Jessica's back landed hard on a rock, and she struggled to her feet. There she saw three men. One of them had a blow gun. He must have hit poor Allister in the butt with a pebble. That would be enough to spook any horse.

"What's a pretty girl like you," asked one of them, drawing a dagger, "doing in a place like this?"

"Why don't you come with us?" asked the next one, with a bow, "we play REAL nice."

"You boys are very sweet." said Jessica with sarcasm, clutching her back, "You make me feel like VOMITING, now leave me alone."

"Ouch," said the one with the blowgun, "that was cold."

"You think you're so clever?" asked Daggerman, "Let's get her!" Jessica was many things; a pushover was not one of them. As the three men charged, she drew her whip and struck the blow gun. It split right in half, and the weapon's owner ran for the hills. She drew her whip back again and swung it. The whip point wrapped around bowman's ankle, and with a harsh yank, she took his feet right out from under him. He slammed his knee on a rock, and yelped in pain, before limping after blow gun man.

She drew her whip back quickly and slashed Daggerman in the face with it. As he stumbled backwards, she drew it back again and wrapped the point around his waist. She yanked back hard, and dagger man spun before falling right on his face.

"Freak!" He yelled, before running to join his companions. With them taken care of, Jessica turned and limped into the woods to find her horse.

Her back was agonizing from landing on that rock, and it was all she could do not to double over in pain. She wished she knew some healing spells right about now, but all she knew was things to bring agony to her enemies, not heal her own. Suddenly, it all started to go away, her back feeling better than before Allister threw her. Before she knew it, it was as if her back was never hurt in the first place.

"Jessica," said a familiar voice. It was Stone, the chosen hero who led Angelo, Yangus, and herself to defeat Rapthorne. She looked in the direction his voice came from. He looked a little bit different. He was taller, a bit more toned, and his bandana was absent. Aside from that, he wore a Royal Guard's uniform. "What are you doing out here?"

"I divorced my husband," said Jessica, getting right to the point, "and bought a horse. Some bandits attacked, and scared my horse into these woods. I fought them off, and as you saw, my back was hurt because the horse bucked me off and I landed on a rock."

"Wow," said the man, "I have something of a similar story: King Trode sent me on an errand, but I was also attacked by bandits, who scared my horse into these woods as well." They decided to search together. And so, Jessica and Stone ventured out to find their horses.

**I hope I did well enough to please you guys. I have yet to beat Dragon Quest Eight, so I am likely to have made some mistakes. If you want to correct me, please do so. I will add credits to your name on the chapter you helped me on. **


End file.
